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Volleyball Finishes With a Great Effort

A hard loss ends a strong season for Spartan Volleyball.

By Phillip Karlberg

    Despite a strong season from the Thomas Jefferson volleyball team, the year ended on a sour note when the girls lost both of their tournament games on Saturday, October 27th.
In their first game, the TJ girls lost to Broomfield three games to none. Although the Spartans started off well, they gradually lost steam as the match went on. In the first game they were defeated 18-25. The second game was very similar, and ended in a final score of 16-25 for Broomfield. In the third and final game, TJ lost by a decisive score of 12-25.
    After Broomfield, the Spartans battled the Longmont Trojans. With a record of 19-4, the outlook was bleak. The first game set the pace of the match with a final score of 16-25. The second game also ended in a hard loss of 25-13. The match was ended when the Trojans crushed the Spartans with a score of 12-25.
    Although Saturday was a loss on paper, the Spartan girls fought valiantly. They put forth their best effort and represented TJ in the best way. The girls proved to be a strong team all season, as they were among the top ranked in the Denver Prep League.  Read more

A Spartan's Halloween

by Asia Dorsey

On all Hollows Eve the witches scream as the mighty Spartan smiles,
For the ghouls didn’t know he’d steal the show in just a little while.
The ghost they daunt and the leprechauns jeer
As the Wolf-Man circles the cage.
He takes a leap from his sheep’s cloths heap and to the wolf-mans rage . . .
The Spartan jumped and the wolf-man bumped his head upon the stage.

The specter spectators go ape
With boos and shouts,
How angry they appear.
Until Count Dracula leaps on stage yelling, “No worries, for I am here!”

The Spartan frowns as the bars come down, this Dracula’s a fright.
Round two begins; he has to win, to live on through the night.

And so it starts, the beating heart of the Spartan begins to speed,
As he runs and jumps and kicks and leaps . . . and misses so valiantly.
The Count just laughs and bares his teeth; it was time to feed to the Spartans grief.
But never count a Spartan out. He gave the crowd a round-a-bout.
The vampire rushed,
His teeth sank in,
A cry rang out like death.
But this was not our Spartan’s end; he still had much fight left.
 For the vampire foolishly had not bitten into flesh, instead a silver vest.
The Spartan sword in hand then begins to rise.
 The self assured monsters were surprised to see Triumph in the Spartan’s eyes.
When the vampire rolled onto his side, the crowed snapped back,
And when the Spartan lifted up his sword . . . well, that was that.

Round three was eminent and that’s a fact.
That is when the devil himself came up to the stage to defend.
Boasting that if he too lost . . . a convert our Spartan would win.
And so, to prepare for this battle, the Spartan did the Super Man, to show the fiend his might.
He put up his fist and down his sword, and stood ready for this fight.
The ogres bayed.
The mud men gargled.
The audience sat still.
The little devil threw fire and ice, but our Spartan refused his will.
Many blows were exchanged, and the Spartan had many curses laid upon his name.
With both opponents face to face, the Spartan stepped back with an upper-cut to the devil’s face.
The devil bowed down and did his last dance.
He got down on his knees and began to chant,
“What do you do to a Spartan you meet?
You get down on your knees you cannot pray on your feet.”
The monsters then asked if the mighty Spartan had mercy to give,
He asked that they remove their masks, and happily that Halloween they lived.

Tennis Comes to an End

TJ Tennis finishes another solid season.

By Keenan Moore

    The boys' tennis team completed their season on a positive note this year, having a total record of 5-4.  This year proved to be a good all around season for the boys, as they improved in all aspects of their game.  They were led by the strong effort of number one single Justin Blackburn.  This being his final year as a TJ tennis player, it proved to be an emotional season, as the Spartans brought their A game to every match.
     The number one doubles pair, PJ Sleichter and Mitch Montgomery, were both successful, as they won the majority of their matches together.  This is PJ’s third year at TJ and Mitch’s second, which means that they will be together again for another successful season next year.
     The team brought some of their best athletes to compete in the regionals competition. The people who had the chance to go to the competition were Andrew Briss and Jack Bain along with Blackburn, Sleichter, and Montgomery. While they all were not very successful in their matches, they showed great effort all the way to the end.  “I think it was a honor to just be able to go and play against all sorts of players from all different parts of the Denver area,” said Blackburn.
     The sky is the limit for the boys’ tennis team next year.  They will lose Blackburn, but number two single Robert Lampert is ready and willing to step up to the challenge.  They will have the same number one doubles combination, and will hopefully get a few new freshman on the team that are ready to work their way up to the top. Read more

Renaissance Awakens TJ Spirit

TJ's EPYCS club raises funds for the community at large.     

by Ben Gilliland

      On the afternoon of October 23, 2007 the students of Thomas Jefferson High School enjoyed food and fun activities as the school hosted its annual Renaissance Carnival.
      The Renaissance Carnival is put on every year by TJ’s EPYCS (El Pomar Youth in Community Service) Club, which is headed up by Spanish Teacher Joanne Moreno. The mission of EPYCS is to give out grant money to local non-profit organizations in the state of Colorado. In order to get that grant money the school's club must raise at least $500, so at TJ the organization hosts the Renaissance Carnival. All of the ticket sales money goes towards the El Pomar challenge. “A carnival is a fun, fast, and easy way to raise money, and the kids always have a good time,” said Moreno.
Read more

Spartan Softball Brings Honor to TJ

Four of TJ's best softball players represent the Spartans on the All-League team. 

by Phillip Karlberg

    Several Thomas Jefferson girls' softball players have made the DPS All League Team including, Amanda Weaver, Aryn Grywusiewicz, Ashley Lowery, Lauren Kelsch, and with Morgan Bertam, Colette Hernandez and Sarah Southard making honorable mention.
    Amanda Weaver and Aryn Grywusiewicz were the two TJ players to make first team all city.  On the second team are Ashley Lowery and Lauren Kelsch. Morgan Bertam, Colette Hernandez and Sarah Southard nearly made it, and are members of this year’s honorable mention.  The players were voted onto the team by coaches from other teams on how difficult as opponents they were.
    Although the team is called the DPS all league team, they don't actually compete against other league teams.  Both the first and second teams consist of ten players.  "We have more players on the teams than any other school," commented TJ Coach Kyler Jackson.  “[The other coaches] recognized everyone who had a good year,” said Jackson, who was pleased with how many Spartan girls made the team. “They worked hard and played during the summer, so they deserve it.”
    Jackson believes the Thomas Jefferson Softball team has represented TJ well this year.  With all the players on the all league team, the team believes the softball program has proven to have a very talented group of girls and coaches that will continue to bring success to TJ in the future.

She's a Dancing Machine

After 23 years, Carole Fulkerson is still dancing at TJ.

by Andrew Craig

     Carole Fulkerson, a physical education and dance instructor at TJ for over 23 years, expresses her love for the art of dance on a daily basis: she teaches it.

    Every day during second and fourth period Fulkerson is busy teaching students the fundamentals of ballet and African dance. In her class, students learn to combine the graceful and refined movements of ballet with traditional African rhythmic maneuvers.

    Although Fulkerson’s crowded classes are exciting and filled with energy, they are difficult to teach.  “It (the crowded classes) makes teaching basic skills harder.  It’s also challenging to give one-on-one dance instruction to all of the students,” she said. Aside from that problem, Fulkerson believes that classes are enjoyable and she appreciates the geniality of her students. She says they simply love to dance, and she loves to teach. Read more

Volleyball Crushes Kennedy

The Volleyball girls get a league win against the Commanders.

By Phillip Karlberg

    On Friday night, the Thomas Jefferson girls’ volleyball team smashed Kennedy three games to none, bringing their record to eight wins and nine losses. Despite the success of the varsity team, both JV and the C-Team lost.
    During the first game it became very clear who had the better team.  The Spartans were hot from the beginning and jumped ahead to an amazing 17-0 lead.  Eventually Kennedy gained a few points of their own, but the game ended in a score of 25-9.
    In the second game Kennedy began to pick up steam.  Although they did better in the second round, they could not stop the Spartan onslaught and lost with a decisive final score of 25-14.
    The third and final game was the closest.  Kennedy jumped ahead and for much of the game was in the lead.  The TJ girls looked to have lost their edge, but eventually recovered and pulled away to a 25-18 win. Read more

Sci-Fi Juggernauts: 1984

A look at George Orwell's classic work.

by Sinjin Jones

There are dozens of classic novels that fall under the category of “must-read” science fiction. Throughout this year, I will examine why a handful of these particular works are absolutely essential additions to everyone's reading list, even those who do not consider themselves science fiction fans.

     Science fiction has long been a voice for those who wish to comment on society. For readers who are interested in beginning or expanding their knowledge of this style of writing, the science fiction classic 1984 by George Orwell is essential.
    There are three main components to a great sci-fi novel: content, commentary on the human condition, and “on-purpose” writing. It is no coincidence that 1984 contains all of these features. Read more

Fergalicious Goes Platinum

With the release of her brand new album, The Dutchess [sic], Fergie, (aka Stacey Ferguson), has topped the charts around the world yet again.

by Heather Brenneman

    The former Wild Orchid and more popular Black Eyed Peas singer has had three new singles and an amazing bittersweet album that’s deeply personal. Among her most popular is the tear jerking Big Girls Don’t Cry. This song has been a hit on ARC weekly Top 40 (Rock On The Net's official weekly Top 40 pop chart - updated every Thursday and referenced all over the world), with two straight weeks of being the number one song in the country. Fergie has made herself a name in the world of pop culture. She is now an icon in the lives of teenage girls worldwide. Read more

Power to the Park

Linkin Park makes a depressing but powerful statement.

by Heather Brenneman

    America has been waiting for Linkin Park’s latest album, Minutes to Midnight, for nearly three years, and while fans worldwide lined up to get their hands on it, the question is:  did they get what they paid for?
    The old band came out with a new sound, including rap, metal, and everything in between. Their fusion of hard metal and a touch of rap make this album different, but that signature Linkin Park feel still lingers. From its previous album Meteora in 2003, this band has not only gone around the world-literally-but in musical taste, as well. This album reeks of death and sorrow and made every atom of my insides freeze. Everything about this album made me die a little bit inside.  I felt as if I were at a really bad funeral where no one missed the deceased.  Although Linkin Park’s past with a rap-metal signature and out-of-the-ordinary style is usually a little extreme, this album is 0n extreme overload. Read more

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